Clothes drier



April 5, i949. H. YANDELL CLOTHES DRIER 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 5, 1944 INVENTOR. VVH. YAA/DELL April 5, 1949- I w. H. YANDELL 2,466,630

CLOTHES DRIER Filed April 3, 1944 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. W H. YANDELL April 5, 1949. w. H. YANDELL CLOTHES DRIER Filed April 5, 1.944

3 She ets-Sheet 3 Zfa 5 2 M w O I l 9 I W fin w w M 3 E 3 my @9 7 5 m w 2 x 8 8 2 3 a 5 4 5:; w ll F/J IIIIII 0 w m I W n I J I, 6 w a M 5 F/e 3 INVENTOR.

W H YA/vpEL L Patented Apr. 5, 1949 CLOTHES Damn William H. Yandell, Cincinnati, Ohio; Goldia M.

Ball, cxecutrix of 'said William H. Yandell, deceased, assignor, by mesne assignments, to Goldia M. Ball, Mariemont, Ohio Application April 3, 1944, Serial N0. 529,338

4 Claims.

My present invention pertains to means for expressing water from clothing and is intended more particularly for use in connection with clothes washing means.

In the structure of my prior Patent No. 1,993,- 201, a rubber diaphragm was distended by fluid pressure, either air or water, to cause the waterexpressing action. This diaphragm yielded readily to place pressure upon parts of the clothing where the thickness was not sumcient to get a pressure equal to that where the clothing was thicker. While this construction was very satisfactory, it was found that, when air was the pressure medium used, there was a chance for the valve to freeze and the safety mechanism might fail to work. Also, it was felt that too much strain was placed upon the rubber diaphragm in requiring it to be distended so much and so often. Therefore, the present construction has been developed which permits shifting of the pressure medium with only comparatively slight distension of the diaphragm, and yet the pressure effect upon the clothing remains substantially the same as with my prior construction.

Among the objects of this invention are to provide a water-expressing mechanism for a clothes washing machine which will permit the clothes-engaging medium to yield in accordance with the resistance exerted by the clothing so that there will be substantially uniform pressure upon all parts of the clothing, resulting in the clothing having few if any wet spots, the clothing being of substantially uniform dampness when removed from the dryer; to provide a structure of the character indicated in which the chance for accident is reduced to a minimum; to provide a structure of the character indicated in which the amount of distention of the rubber diaphragm is reduced to a minimum; and such further objects, advantages, and capabilities as will hereafter appear and as are inherent in the construction disclosed herein. My invention further resides in the combination, construction, and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings and, while I have shown therein what is now regarded as the preferred embodiment of this invention, I desire the same to be understood as illustrative only and not to be interpreted in a limitingsense.

In the drawings annexed hereto and forming a part hereof,

Fig. 1 represents a horizontal section through a washing machine casing and a dryer in accordance with my present invention, approximately along the plane indicated by the line I -l,

2 Fig. 2, with certain parts omitted for the sake of clarity;

Fig. 2 represents a transverse section approximately along the plane indicated by the line 2--2, Fig. 1, showing the dryer in elevation, with a part of the dryer casing broken away to expose the internal mechanism; and

Fig. 3 represents a vertical section, approximately along the line 3-3, Fig. 1, this figure being intended to show the internal mechanism of the dryer. The plane of. this section is also shown by the line 3-3, Fig.2.

Reference will now be made in greater detail to the annexed drawings for a more complete description of thisinvention. The outer casing I which encloses the washing machine and dryer is conventional and therefore need not be shown in detail. Within this casing is housed a driving motor 2, and the driving gearing for the washing machine, within the casing, from which rises the dolly shaft 4 of the washing machine. A drive belt 5 connects the pulleys 6 and I for transmitting power from the motor 2 to the washing machine gearing. Any conventional means for connecting and disconnecting the driving connection between the motor and the gearing may be provided. All this is conventional and need not be disclosed in detail.

A pulley 8 is mounted on the same shaft with the pulley G and is connected to the pulley 9 on shaft III by a belt II. A clutch l2, l3 serves to connect the shaft III in driving relation with the pulley 8, the clutch being operated by a bell crank lever Hi. This bell crank is actuated by the link I5 connected to and actuated by an eccentric I6 carried by shaft 3% which is connected by suitable means I! to an operating handle conveniently located near the top of the dryer. Since this handle may be located at any suitable point near the top of the dryer, it is not regarded as necessary that it be shown in detail.

Mounted on the shaft 2a of motor 2 is a water pump I8 which receives water through the pipe l9 and discharges it through the pipe 20 into the washing machine compartment. The pump 18 ciprocating pump 2|, as is apparent from Figs.

l and 2. For this purpose, the shafti 0 comprises a pair of cranks connected by connecting rods Therefore.

22 to the pistons of the pump 2!. when the clutch l2, i3 is closed by operation of thebell crank it, and the motor 2 is running, the Q two-cylinder pump will be put into operation. It

3 is clear from Fig. 3 that a trough 23 surrounds the upper end of the dryer which is provided with a loosely fltting removable lid 24 so that when wet clothing is pressed against the lid, the water will pass through the woven open mesh basket 24a fixed to the ring 24b which is removably mounted on the top of the dryer body casing II, in the manner shown and described in my prior Patent 2,023,215. This water will run out into the trough and will be drained back through the pipe II to the pump ll to be carried back to the washing compartment. The lid 24 together with the open mesh basket 24a form a foraminous cover for the device. Reference will now be made more particularly to Fig. 3 from which it will be seen that the dryer body casing II has a container or receptacle 26 extending downwardly therefrom and is provided with a bottom or base 21 which supports all of the operating mechanism within the body 2|. The container 28 contains the operating fluid, preferably oil, by means of which the piston II is raised. This piston slides in a cylinder 2! which is securely fastened in a depression ll in the top of the bottom member or base 21, and the cylinder 2! then becomes an integral upward extension from this bottom member. Within the depression 30 in the bottom 21 is an upwardly extending post II which serves as a stop to limit the downward movement of the piston 28. Secured to this piston is a sleeve 32 which connects the piston 28 with the upper piston or plunger 38. It is therefore apparent that, when the lower piston is forced upwardly, its upward movement is transmitted tothe upper piston 33 which causes pressure upon any clothing within the chamber above the upper piston.

A suction pipe 34 extends downwardly from a valve member 38 controlled by a spring pressed ball 38 in valve opening 36 formed in the'base and which prevents return of the oil from the cylinder of pump 2| to the chamber 18. A corresponding valve 31 in valve opening 81' permits oil to be passed from the pump cylinder to the chamber ill and prevents its return to the pump cylinder upon reversal of motion of the pump piston. A similar valve 38 in valve opening 38' acts as a safety means to prevent building up excesslve pressure below the piston 28, this valve as, for example, forty (40) pounds per square inch. Therefore, when the pressure in the chamber ll exceeds the, amount for which the valve ll is set, then this valve will open and let the oil return to the chamber 16. happen until upward'movement of the piston ll is stopped. Shaft 39b is connected to valve 3! in valve opening 35' and rotates same whenever the handle is operated to-open or close clutch l2, l3. Hence, it is clear that the valve I! is always closed when the pump is operating and always openzwhen the pump clutch is opened to disconnectrthe pump from the motor. When the driving connection to the pump ii is disconnected by opening clutch l2, if, the valve II is opened, as

shown in Fig. 3, and the oil drains out of the chamber 30 and returns to the chamber 28 through the vent 38a, thus permitting the pis- Usually this does not The lower coil of a between lugs All on the bottom of the upper piston 33. These lugs correspond to the lugs ll on the top of the bottom plate. As the piston 2| is raised, the spring 42- is extended and, when the piston is permitted to move downwardly, the spring 42 contracts and pulls the upper piston 33 down until the stop ll acts to discontinue the downward movement. A plurality of holes 44 through the wall of cylinder 2! acts to permit the oil to flow outwardly through the wall into the chamber II, and from here into the groove I, from which it flows through a vent or vents 41 to be returned to the chamber 2|. A trough ll is secured inside the dryer wall to catch any water which may escape past the piston 33 and return it through pipe 4! to pipe II. The holes H are provided in order to prevent the pressure-fluid from forcing the pressure piston upwardly far enough to disconnect the piston from the cylinder 2!.

The upper surface of the piston 33 is formed with a depression so that it has an upstanding flange SI around theedge thereof. A flexible diaphragm ll has its periphery bent down inside of this flange SI and this edge is then secured in place by means of a ring it and screws 54. When these screws are screwed in tightly, this ring holds the edge of the diaphragm firmly against the metal part of the piston 33. The space or pocket ll within the diaphragm II is substantially filled with beads or balls II, the size of which may vary but which I prefer to have about three sixteenths of an inch in diameter. On account of the mo.- bility of these balls, they will yield readily to permit the diaphragm ll to flex into areas of low pressure and therefore there will be substantially even pressure upon all clothing between the,diaphragm and the lid 24. This diaphragm is formed with a rib extending. horizontally around the same above the upper edge of the flange SI and into contact with the inner surface of wall 25. Hence, there will be little if any leakage between the piston and the wall. Whatever water passes the piston will be caught in the trough II and drained off through pipe I into pipe I! and, as explained above, will pass through pump lland pipe" to the washing compartment of thewashing machinev Notwithstanding-the fact that I have. described what is now regarded as thepreferred embodiment of this'invention, I do not wish to be 'restricted to the specific invention shown and described herein.

Having now described my invention, I claim:

1. In a washing machine, a fluid expressing mechanism comprising a dryer body casing having a fluid receptacle at its lower portion, a supporting base in said casing fltting tightly therein and separating the receptacle from the interior ofthe casing, said base having valve openings therein and a compartment, one of said openings having a valve therein allowing upward movement of a fluid from the receptacle toward the casing, another of said openings having a valve therein allowing movement of said fluid in the opposite direction, pumping mechanism in the casing adapted to draw fluid through the flrst named valve and force it into said compartment, said base having a passageway connecting the pumping mechanism and said compartment, a valve in said passageway, a cylinder connected flxediy with said supporting base, a .piston sli'iable in said cylinder, a second piston aboveand supported away from the flrst piston, connectin means rigidly connecting said pistons, a water .collect-. ing trough secured to the inside of the casing wall aceaeao serving to carry water from both to the washing' machine compartment, spring means connected to said supporting base and said upper piston to cause lowering of the latter when fluid pressure is discontinued below the piston, and actuating means for the pumping mechanism.

2. In a, washing machine, a fluid expressing mechanism comprising a casing having a fluid receptacle at its lower portion, a supporting base in said casing fittin tightly therein and separating the receptacle from the interior of the casing said base having valve openings therein provided with valves for controlling the flow of pressure fluid through the base, a compartment in said base opening upwardly, pumping mechanism in the casing adapted to draw pressure fluid through one of said valves and force it into said compartment, said base being, provided with a passageway between the pumping mechanism and the compartment, a valve in said passageway to control the passage of fluid in one direction through said passageway, a cylinder mounted in and extending upwardly from said compartment. a double-ended elongated piston, one end of which is reciprocable in said cylinder, means for returning said piston toward its lower limit of movement when the pumping mechanism ceases to function, and a readily shiftable pressure medium on the upper surface of said piston which will yield downwardly in areas of greatest resistance to upward movement of the piston.

3. In an apparatus of the nature disclosed for expressing water from clothes and the like in the process of laundering, a cylindrical ca ing perpendicularly disposed, its upper end having a foraminous cover removably applied and a trough peripherally thereabout for the collection and drainage of liquid expressed from the casing through the foraminous cover, the casing internally at its lower portion having a septum subdividing the same to provide a fluid supply compartment at the base of the casing, a cylinder concentric within said casing supported upon said septum, said septum having a passage between said cylinder and compartment, a valve in said passage, a plunger reciprocable within the upper portion of the casing for compressing the material thereon against said foraminous cover to express the liquid therefrom, a piston reciprocable within said cylinder and in spaced union cylinder for imparting an upward power stroke to said piston, the piston retreating upon opening communication between said cylinder and compartment through said passage.

4. In an apparatus of the nature disclosed for expressing water from clothes and the like in the process of laundering, a cylindrical casingperpendicularly disposed. its upper end having a foraminous cover removably applied and a trough peripherally thereabout for the collection and drainage of liquid expressed from the casing through the foraminous cover, the casing internally at its lower portion having a septum subdividing the same to provide a fluid supply comwith said plunger and means for supplying fluid under pressure from said compartment into said I partment at the base of the casing, a cylinder concentric within said casing supported upon said septum, said septum having a passa e between said cylinder and compartment, a valve in said passage, a plunger reciprocable within the upper portion of the casing for compressing the material thereon against said foraminous cover to express the liquid therefrom, the upper side of said plunger covered by an elastic cap peripherally compacted against the inner surface of the casing for effecting a liquid seal with the casing about the periphery of the plunger and with the plunger providing a pocket for the plunger area, shiftable elements housed in said pocket to render said cap yieldable, a piston reciprocabie within said cylinder and in spacedunion with said plunger and means for supplying fluid under pressure from said compartment into said cylinder for imparting an upward power stroke to said piston, the piston retreating upon opening communication between said cylinder and compartment through said passage.

WILLIAM H. YANDELL.

REFERENCES CITED 1 The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 587,223 McKelvey July 27, 1897 705,097 Koken July 22, 1902 1,212,757 Freese Jan. 16, 1917 1,322,397 Ball Nov. 18, 1919 1,671,913 Troy May 29, 1929 1,710,698 Green Apr. 30, 1929 1,939,757 Asher Dec. 19, 1933 2,050,484 Burry Aug. 11, 1936 2,336,428 Watson Dec. 7, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 549,720 Germany Apr. 30, 1932 20,307 1897 Great Bri 

